1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable battery differs from a primary battery in that a rechargeable battery can be repeatedly charged and discharged, while the latter is incapable of being recharged. A small-capacity rechargeable battery is used for small portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptop computers, camcorders, and the like, and a large-capacity rechargeable battery is used as a power source for driving a motor of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or the like, or as a large-capacity power storage device.
A rechargeable battery is configured with a case, an electrode assembly installed inside the case, a cap plate formed on an upper portion of the case, and a terminal assembly formed at the cap plate and connected to the electrode assembly.
The terminal assembly includes a terminal plate made of a metal material, and an electrode portion which is combined with the terminal plate, one end of which is connected to the electrode assembly.
A portion of the electrode portion that is connected to the electrode assembly is made of copper and another portion of the electrode portion combined with the terminal plate is made of aluminum, and then two portions made of different metals are bonded to each other.
Because the electrode portion is formed by bonding different metals, the manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing processes are complicated.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art.